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Low-profile tires and a choice of 16- or 17-inch wheels are a nice touch. (Photo courtesy of Fiat)

STETTEN, Germany — The iconic Fiat 500 seems like a natural for tuners. The latest to offer a go-fast conversion for the popular Italian minicar is German tuning house Novitec, which specializes in re-wrenching Ferraris and Alfas.

Novitec starts under the hood, where it offers enhancements for several engines, starting with the 1.3-liter four-cylinder TDI, which is boosted to 82 horsepower. The company is fitting a supercharger to the 1.4-liter gasoline engine, which bumps output to 129 hp and torque to 127 pound-feet. With the upgrade, this model accelerates from zero to 60 mph in less than 8.8 seconds, with a top speed of 123 mph.

Additional hardware modifications include a stainless steel exhaust system with a choice of single or twin tailpipes, height-adjustable coil-over suspension that lowers ride height by up to 3.2 inches and a set of low-profile tires mounted on your choice of 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels finished in silver, matte black or chrome.

Novitec supplies a number of aero body add-ons, including a front spoiler, as well as such interior appointments as aluminum pedals.

What this means to you: We’d love to see this car on this side of the Atlantic — with or without the performance upgrades. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent